OH EMM GEE!

OH EMM GEE!
Tonight is the big night! The Flaming Lips, Phoenix and Pete Yorn at the Allstate Arena! Birthday week continues!

Tip: Also, we figured out how to get there from the city via public transit so we don't have to drive (and rent a car, and park, and pay for parking, and not drink, etc.). PACE has an event bus set up from the Rosemont Blue Line stop. It runs for one hour before the start of the event and after the event.

PACE Route 221 Allstate Arena Express Schedule

What do you want for your birthday? A month full of your favorite concerts? Done.

Here we are... December. While it marks the beginning of a cold, snowy winter (which I hate), it's also turning out to be a month full of concerts from some of my favorite bands, which is perfect because it's also the month of my birthday! Happy birthday to me!

It all started with the announcement of the Flaming Lips/Phoenix/Pete Yorn show at Allstate on the 11th; you'd be hard pressed to find a more Mich-perfect bill.

Then, Andrew Bird announced that he would be playing a bunch of "Gezelligheid" (that means "cozy," i.e. small) concerts at Fourth Presbyterian Church. I didn't go for any of those tickets bc I would have felt greedy after getting to see him at The Hideout last year, the Black Cat DC show AND Schubas, but a special someone nabbed a couple guest list spots for us :)

And then last week, there was this curious announcement of Metric playing, of all places, Cubby Bear. They were just here in June, playing a sold out Metro, and did I mention Cubby Bear is a sports bar across from Wrigley Field??? But, the myth has been verified by Tankboy--apparently the show is a part of Q101 partnership with the bar called "Q-Up" and it's serving as the station's official after-party for their "Twisted" holiday concert. Whatever, I get to see Metric at a bar.

Lets see, what else... Tonight we start the month with one of my favorites of '09, Winter Gloves (luckly) returning to Chicago after playing to a nearly empty room in May. And on top of it all, local friends Hey Champ and Tom Schraeder are playing this month too. (I keep telling Tankboy that the only way this month could get any better is if Spoon announced a last minute Chicago show).

So here's to December. It's going to be busy between concerts, holiday parties and unpacking a new home, but hey, I can breathe in January.

Whatta Week!

It's been a busy week already and it's going to get even busier as Lollapalooza looms on the horizon.

Monday night, Tankboy and I went to see Pete Yorn at Park West (review can be read here) and what I thought would be an early night ended up with us meeting Tom Schraeder for drinks at High Dive (where I learned what it means to get "Yorned").

Thats quite a way to start out the week, especially when we should be resting up for a mammoth weekend. The celebration offically starts tonight as Andrew Bird takes over (the under 200 capacity) Schubas. This show was near impossible to get tickets to, but Tankboy managed to get two tickets for us (winning the best boyfriend ever award) and then just yesterday I got on the list for the show!! So we went from "no way we're going" to "who are we going to take with us?"!

Now down to business: If you're going to Lolla you should definitely get your buns there bright and early on Friday to see my Hey Champ buddies at 12:15 on the "Chicago 2016" stage. (Thats right, they're on the big stage!) As for the rest of my picks for the weekend, you can see my "custom schedule" here. Also, on Transmission, we are running features all week in a versus fashion to help you choose between bands playing on opposite ends of the park at the same times (I know, it sucks). My match ups were Andrew Bird/of Montreal/Peter Bjorn & John, Neko Case/Vampire Weekend and Jane's Addiction/Killers.

With all the aftershows, afterparties and other events happening this weekend, I'm sure there will be plenty of stories to share next week!